Motor Trend: 2002 Cadillac DTS

As the miles click by on our One-Year Caddy, we can't help but be impressed each time we slip into it: silky smooth and beautifully grained wood trim, extra-soft perforated leather, and a navigation system that delivers you perspiration-free to unfamiliar destinations. Its interior detailing won't scare off an LS 430, but it's a nice, comfy piece. We can't get enough of the Northstar 4.6L V-8-and the exhaust note is cool. Shifts occur with quiet precision, something you'd expect from a $56K luxo cruiser, though we'd also expect a five-speed automatic. Since our last update, our Sable Black DTS has had two fluid and filter changes (at 10 and 15K miles), plus we picked up a few nails, necessitating patchwork on both left-side tires. Total cost for the trips was just under $139. One complaint: Dressed in basic black, the car always looks right for the moment. The problem is that friends know we have this big, tuxedo-wearing bear of a car, and they always insist we do the chauffeur routine. And that gets old. With a family vacation on the DTS' docket, we'll be putting the mammoth trunk to good use in the next few months. The trip should be fun, just so long as the kids don't call us "Jeeves."